The Indian government has officially disclosed the names of six military personnel who were killed in action during Operation Sindoor, a cross-border military campaign launched in May last year to destroy terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The publication of these names in the Roll of Honour section of the National War Memorial website, alongside their inscription at the memorial in New Delhi, marks the first formal public acknowledgement of the casualties suffered by the Indian armed forces during the conflict.
The fallen servicemen have been identified as Subedar Major Pawan Kumar of Headquarters 10 Infantry Brigade, Rifleman Sunil Kumar, Vir Chakra, of 4 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar of 5 Field Regiment, Aviation Technician Mood Muralinaik of 851 Light Regiment, Havildar Sunil Kumar Singh of 237 Field Workshop Company, and Sergeant Surendra Kumar, Vayu Medal, of 39 Wing. Their names have been engraved on Wall 3D of the memorial within the 2025 section, which honours personnel who lost their lives in service of the nation.
Prior to this statement, the identities of those who perished in the process had not been officially identified despite widespread claims and speculations about the number of casualties from the military side during the four days of fighting that took place between India and Pakistan in May 2025. In this way, an official record has been established.
Operation Sindoor was launched on the night of May 7, 2025 after the terror attack in Pahalgam on 22 April, which had claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists. As a consequence of the attack, the Indian military forces targeted nine terror-related locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, with infrastructure belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba as its target. Both the countries eventually agreed to end the hostilities on May 10 after talks held between the Directors General of Military Operations of both the countries.
From the information contained in the entries, it is clear that losses were incurred in both the Army as well as the Indian Air Force, indicating the collaborative nature of the operation. Some of those honoured include Rifleman Sunil Kumar, who was awarded the Vir Chakra for his gallant performance, and Sergeant Surendra Kumar, a recipient of the Vayu Medal, signifying the vital contributions made by the decorated soldiers in carrying out the operation. The National War Memorial was established in 2019 near India Gate, in memory of the soldiers of the Indian Armed Forces who have laid down their lives in various wars since the country’s independence, and naming these six soldiers confirms the recognition of the mission.
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